Roller-bearing.



0. E. MICHAUD.

ROLLER BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14| 1916- Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

ONESIME E. MICHAUD, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

norma-Bramante.

manica.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2'?, 191W.

AppIication iled January 14, 1916.- Serial No. 72,033.`

ings of the type wherein a series of -cylindri' cal or conical vrollers are spaced circumferentially between inner and outer concentric bearing rings. rlFhe invention relates to the shape and arrangement of the parts of the bearing, and particularly to an improved cage or retaining member for retaining bearing rollers having necks of reduced diameter between their ends in circular alinel ment at fixed distances apart.

The objects of the invention are to reduce the space required for the bearing, to maintain the bearing rollers in'alinementl without in the construction of antifriction bearings and retaining members therefor, said improvements being more fully pointed out hereinafter. v e

Generally stated, .the invention consists in the combination of cylindrical or conical rollers, which are circumferentially grooved tovform a head at one end of each, anda rollerraceway or bearing ring having a flange around it which fits in the grooves under the necks of the rollers7 lwith a retainer for holding therollers in spaced parallel-rela-I tion around the bearing ring. The inven-v tionalsoconsists in the sha e and construction of the retainer, which 1s made of sheet V,metal havinga band for encircling the necks f y of the rollers and holding them in place uponV the inner bearing ring,

said band havin spacing members integral therewith whic are arranged4 in the groovesand spaces'between the rollers to hold them in lalinement. The invention further consists in the parts, and in the arrangements and combinations of parts, more fully set forth hereinafter.

. In the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters vrefer to like parts in the several views,

Fi re lis a side view of a retaining member or roller bearings embodying the invention;

Fig. 2

portions. j l each spacing member 7 as is not under the is an end view of the* retaining` member shown in Fig. 1, looking toward its flanged end;

Fig. 3 is a view of the end of the retaining member opposite to the end shown in Fia 2;.

Fig. 4 is a diametrical section of the retaining member on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an end view, partly in section, of the bearing rings, bearmg rollers and retaining member assembled; i

Fig. 6 is a side view of the inner bearing ring, bearing rollers and retaining members assembled; I v

Fig. 7 is a diametrical section through the bearing rings, bearing rollers and retaining member assembled;

Fig.` 8 is a section similar to Fig. 7 showa retaining member for tapered bearing ro 1ers;

Fig. 9 is afview of the blank from which the retaining member is made, showing it aft-er the stam ing operation which forms the wings; an

Fig. 10 is an end view of the same. Referring to the accompanying drawings, the inner bearing ring 1 of the roller bearing has an exterior circumferential ridge 2, one edge of which is beveled. Each of the bearing rollers comprises a cylindrical portion 3 and a head 4 connected by a neck 5 vof reduced diameter. The-inner circumferential ledge 'of the head 4 of each bearing roller is beveled to coperate with the beveled edge of the ridge 2 of the inner bearing ring 1. edge of the head 4 of each bearing roller is also beveledto coperate with a beveled face of an outer bearing ring (see Figs. 7 and 8) The retaining member, shown in Figs. 1 to 7, comprises a circular band 6 from ,one

` edge of which projects a plurality 0f tongues 7 forming spacing members for holding the bearing rollers in alinement. These tongues or spacing members 7 are located at equal intervals throughout the length of the band 6, corresponding to the size and the spacing of the bearing rollers. Each spacing member 7 extends radially inward from the outer edge of the band 6, and then crosswise under said band parallel to the axis of the bearing. The free end portions of thel spacing members 7 project from under the band 6,' and are narrower than the intermediate As much of the end portion of band 6l has lateral wings 8 formed integral v The outer circumferential therewith, one of said wings projecting outward from' each longitudinal edge of said spacing member. The wings 8 are concave on their outer faces, substantially conform- 5 ing to the shape of the cylindrical portions of the rollers.

The retaining member is preferably made from a single piece of sheet metal by simple operations of stamping and bending. The piece of sheet metal is first stamped into a blank (see Fig. 9) which comprises a strip 9, corresponding to the band 6 of the finished retaining member. Integral with the strip 9 of the blank are equally spaced tongues 10 5 which project from one edge of said strip 9 at right angles. The tongues 10 correspond to the spacing members 7 of the finished retaining member and have their outer ends slit in on opposite sides at points corresponding to the inner ends of the Wings 8 of the finished retaining member. The continuous edge or strip 9 of the blank stands up at right angles to the tongues 10, and the side edges of the tongues for the outer half of their length are bent up to form wings 8, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The blank is then bent into ring shape, the ends being brought together and lapped, and the tongues are bent parallel to the band, as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3. The ring thus formed may have either a cylindrical or conical form, depending on the type of the bearing with which the retaining member is to be used. The semi-circular ends of the slots between the tongues are reamed true in ajig, and the concave faces of the wings are reamed true and in alinement therewith at the same time. The lapping end portions of the strip 9, which are 'the end portions of the band 6 of the finished retaining member, are punched for a rivet or other securing means, and one end portion is fiattened and oiset sidewise to fit within the other end to keep the two faces of the band smooth (see Figs. 2 and 3).

In assembling the retaining member and the bearing rollers on the inner bearing ring, the bearing rollers are fitted into the spaces between the spacing members 7 of the retaining member, the cylindrical bearing portions 3 of said bearing rollers fitting between the wings 8 of said spacing members, and the necks of the rollers bearing against the intermediate portions of the spacing members 7 and the inner face of the band 6 of said retaining member. The .inner bearing ring 1 is forced into place inside of the bearing rollers, the retaining member being resilient and expanding sufiiciently to permit the heads 4 of the bearing rollers to pass over the ridge 2 of the inner bearing` ring 1. The overlapped end portions ofthe band 6 are suitably secured together to retain the rollers on the inner bearing ring, preferably by a rivet or by an indentation tion into the other (see Figs. 1 and 5). The band of the retaining member encircles the bearing rollers and positively prevents them from moving outwardly from the inner bearing ring, and the cylindrical portions 3 and the heads 4 of the hearing rollers straddle the ridge 2 of the inner bearing ring 1 and prevent the rolle-rs from slipping endwise. The band and intermediate portions of the spacing members encircle closely the necks 5 of the bearing rollers, and the retaining member is thereby held against movement lengthwise of the rollers. The outer bearing ring 1l can be slipped into place endwise over the rollers until the beveled inner face of the fiange 12 brings up against the outer beveled edges of the heads 4.

After the parts have been assembled, the curved wing portions of the spacing members are located at the same distance from the center of the inner bearing ring as the aXis of the bearing rollers, so that the bearing rollers are guided circumferentially by the spacing members substantially in line with the direction of movement of the axes of said rollers. The spacing members 7 engage the cylindrical portions 3 and the necks 5 of the bearing rollers and hold said bearing rollers in arallel alinement, and the beveled faces ofP l1 resist endwise movement of the rollers with respect to the bearing rings, and thereby transmit axial pressure or side thrust on one bearing ring to the other bearing ring. The short length of the heads 4 reduces the tendency of this axial pressure to twist the bearing rollers out of parallel alinement.

The same advantages appertain to the construction shown in Fig. 8, wherein the bearing rollers 13 are tapered, and the inner bearing ring 14 and outer bearing ring 15 have conical bearing surfaces to conform to the taper of the rollers. The retaining ring 16 has a conical band portion fitting over the converging necks of the rollers, and spacing members which converge to conform to the spaces between the tapered rollers.

The retaining member can be made from a single piece of sheet metal by simple punching and bending operations with sufiicient accuracy for most purposes. A very high degree of accuracy of the guiding faces can be attained by reaming after bending, as above described.

The construction shown and hereinbefore described may be considerably changed without departing from the-invention and I do not wish to be restricted to the details of the construction shown and described.

I claim the following as my invention:

1 In a roller bearing, the combination of the ridge 3 and flange i punched from one end por- I an inner bearing ring having an exterior circumferential lridge',:bearingl rollers coper- Y ating with theexterior'surface of said bearing ring, each of. said vbearingrollers having a neck of-reduceddiameter lbetween its ends .positioned oversaid ridge,'1 and a retaining lmember .of sheet ,metal for holding said bearing -rollers in alinement fon .said bear-v ing ring, saidretaining member'eo'mprising a band encircling said bearing rollers outside of the necks thereof, said band having integral' therewith a plurality of spacing members doubled under said band and arranged. -between said' bearing" rollers, the

l outside ofthe necks thereof', said band vhavspacing members `being shapedto embrace the'outer sides rof the necks of the 'rollers.

2. ln a roller bearing, the combination 'of an inner bearing ring Vhaving an eXteriorgcir'- cumferential ridge, bearing rollers coper# ating'withthe exteriorsurface of said bearing ring, each of said bearingfrollers .having VVa neckof reducedv diameter between its ends positioned over said ridge, andv aretaining member of 'sheeti metal for holding said bearing rollers in -alinement on said bear-` `ingring, said retaining member compris.

ing 'a -band encircling said bearing 4vrollers ing a plurality` of tongues doubled under it them. Y f 3. lin a roller bearing,

andarranged between said bearing rollers to form spacing 'members for them, saidv spacing members'engaging .the necks of the rollers and fitting .in .the spaces between an inner bearing vring having an exterior circumferential ridge, 'bearing rollers' cooperating with the exteriorfsurface ofsaid bearing ring, each ofi saidbearing rollers having a neck .of reduced vdiameter betweenits ends positioned oversaid ridge, anda' retaining member of sheet metal for holding said bearing rollers alinement on Said bearing ring, ysaid retaining membercom-v prising a and encircling said 'bea-ring rollers outside-.of the necks thereof, said v band having a plurality of tongues doubled un'der it 'and arranged betweenl said bearing rollers to form spacing members for them,vv

said spacing members engagingthe necks of the rollers, the free ends of said spacing'4 members having wings conforming to the shape of the sides of the rollers and positioned substantially the same distance from the center of said bearing ringas. the pathY of movement of the aXes of said bearing rollers.

4. In a .roller bearing, the combination-of `an inner bearing ring having a-n exterior' circumferential ridge, of bearing rollers co operating with the exterior surface of said bearing ring, each of said bearing rollers having a neck of reduced diameter between its' ends positioned over said ridge of said bearing ring, and a retaining member of sheet metal for holding said bearing rollers in alinement on said bearing. rlng, said rethe 'combinaties of 5.' Ina roller bearing, the'eombination of an inner bearingring having an vexterior circumferential. ridge, bearing rollers co'- l operating with the exterior surface of said bearing ring', each' of `said bearing rollers "having a neck of'reduced diameter between its ends positioned Vover said ridge, anda retaining member for retalning said bear'- ingrollers.- 1n vallnement ion sa 1' d bearmg lring, ,said retaining member comprising -a circular band encircling said bearing rollers on the outside of the necks thereof, a plurality of spacing members projecting inward from one edge ofvsaid band and having portions of their length bent parallel to the band and arranged in a circular series inside ofA` it, the edges of' said portions of adjacent lspacing members embracing the neck of the bearinl roller arranged between them.

- 6. ln al rol er bearing, the combination of bearing rollers having necks of .reduced diameter between their ends and an integral retaining member of sheet metal comprising a circular band encircling said bearing rollers. on the outside of fthe necks thereof,

and spacing members arranged in a cir- .cular series insideof said band and. spaced therefrom, the free ends of said' spacing members fitting between said bearing rollers and holding them in alinement, and the vintermediate portionsof said spacing members connecting them with said band fitting in the spaces between the necks of said bearing-rollers.

-' 7. Ajretaining member for roller'bearings comprising a circular band and a plurality of spacing members integralwith one edge of said band, portions of said spacing members remote from said edge being arranged in a vcircularfseries extending inside of the other. edgeof lsaid band, the intermediate portions of said spacing members connecting the band and the remote portions being wider than said remote.v portions.-

8. A retaining member for roller bearings in'theform-of an annular shell made of a 'strip of sheet metal, said shell ,consisting of a circularly formed' band and a series of spacing members integral with said band,

said band encircling said Vseries of vspacing' members, the intermediate portions of said spacing members which connect the end portions to said band approaching each other at their junctions w1th said band to form semi-circular notches between them, and the ends of said band being detachably secured together.

, 9. A retaining member of sheet metal for holding grooved bearing rollers in alinement, said retaining member comprising a band fory encircling said bearing rollers outside of the necks thereof, said band having a plurality of tongues doubled under it and arranged to form spacing members for engaging the necks of the rollers and tting in the spaces between them.

10. A retaining member for roller bearings comprising a circular band and a plurality of spacing members integral at one end with said band, portions of said spacing members being arranged in a circular series inside of the band and having lateral wings integral therewith, and intermediate por! tions of said spacing members connecting said bandr and wing portions, said intermediate portions being wider than said inner l portions and bent at their inner ends to partly encircle bearing rollers.

11. A- retaining member for roller bearings comprising a circular band and a plurality of spacing members integral at one end with said band, portions of said s acing members being arranged inside of said) band and spaced therefrom, and intermediate portions of said spacing members connecting said band and inner portions, said intermediate portions being wider than said inner portions.

l2. A retaining member for roller bearings comprising a strip of sheet metal having one longitudinal edge portion thereof continuous and a plurality of arallel tongues forming spacing members integral with said edge portion, said spacing members having outwardly curved wings inte ral therewith springin from their side e ges adjacent to their ree ends, the spaces between the intermediate portions of said spacing members connecting said band and winged portions being semicircular at their inner ends, said strlp being bent double lalong longitudinal lines lntersecting and bordering the semicircular ends of said spaces and being curved along transverse lines into an annular form.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 3rd day of January, 1915.

ON ESIME E. MICHAUD. 

